


Game-Set-Match

by stanchezsloppyseconds



Category: Gravity Falls, Rick and Morty
Genre: Family Bonding, M/M, Miami AU, Tennis, Trans Rick Sanchez
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-19
Updated: 2017-02-19
Packaged: 2018-09-25 07:08:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9808616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stanchezsloppyseconds/pseuds/stanchezsloppyseconds
Summary: The Smith Family is visiting Beth's estranged father in Miami for the first time and Jerry suggests they all play a friendly game of tennis. He did not expect Rick and his husband Stanley to be this good at the game... or for the balls to keep getting spiked at him. (Set in my M-768 Miami Stanchez AU)





	

Jerry had thought that mentioning the tennis court out back might help a little with breaking the frigid tundra that had settled between Beth’s father and him. He’d been wrong.

“Oh? You play?” Rick had asked skeptically, voice utterly venomous as he gave Jerry a look that clearly said ‘I am only tolerating your presence in my home because of my daughter.’ 

It had been like this since they’d arrived in Miami to meet Beth’s estranged father for the first time two days ago. The kids seemed to be enjoying things. Beth was tense about making a good impression but seemed overall to be happy. Jerry however felt like he was back on the chopping block like a high-school boy being judged by parents to see if he was eligible material for taking their daughter to prom.

“Haven’t played since high school. Hey maybe we could have a couples match? That could be fun right?” Wrong again Jerry.

Pulling at his shirt collar, Jerry felt like he was on a roasting on a fire spit as the noon sun beat heavy down on the tennis court. Stan and Rick seemed perfectly comfortable in the scorching heat as they waited for Beth to serve to start the match. They looked like something out of a tacky 80’s country club advert. A mess of matching hot fuchsia and eye burning cyan. It was hard to even look directly at them as the sun reflected bright off the neon clothes they were wearing. Neither of them seemed to be holding back on staring at each other though, rather hungrily he might add. Jerry tried very hard to pretend he hadn’t just heard Stan growl sexually as Beth’s father had stretched in front of him, posterior pointed directly at the other man.

When Beth had served the ball and it had instantly been hit back directly at Jerry at a frightening velocity. It had just barely missed Jerry’s face, whizzing past him with a hiss as he yelped in surprise. He could hear Rick snickering as the older couple high-fived in victory over scoring the first point. Beth hummed in mild irritation as Jerry shrugged nervously and brushed it off with an awkward chuckle. He’d just been caught off guard. Lucky shot?

The next three points went the same, each one horrifyingly spiked directly at Jerry with all the malice and surprising strength those old men possessed. Sure Rick looked lanky next to his husband, but those long slender arms seemed to reach to snag the ball any way it went and always pushed it right back to Jerry at alarming speeds. When he’d manage to hit the ball back it would leave his racket shaking with the force from which it had struck. When he didn’t catch it, the ball would either fly past to score a point, or it would ricochet off him like a small punch. After getting hit twice Jerry was starting to suspect the old coot was actually purposefully aiming for hitting him.

“What are you doing?’ Beth jeered bitterly as she pulled him in for a quick time out.

“I’m starting to think your father really doesn’t like me.” Jerry said as he rubbed his arm where the ball had last hit.

“Yeah well you haven’t exactly been easy for him to like” There was a tight frown on Beth’s lips as she scowled at him.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t know Jerry, but maybe it has something to do with how within the first five minutes of meeting him at the airport you were already cracking jokes that you hadn’t known you’d needed to ask all _three_ of my fathers for my hand in marriage. Or how once you saw their mansion you were not so subtly asking about me being the only heir to their fortune?” She sighed heavily as she rubbed her temples. When they’d been invited to come visit, Beth had made it perfectly clear that she wanted this trip to leave a good impression. She’d been raised by a single parent and only known Rick as the name signed on the child support cheques and the birthday cards that came each year with extravagant presents from a father who was a complete stranger to her. This was Rick’s first real attempt in Beth’s life to reconnect with her, and she desperately wanted to make sure that they would get invited back again.

“What? That was funny, and those were completely legitimate questions! I mean they are getting on in age and you’re an only child-”

“Well they’re spry enough to beat you in tennis!” Beth snapped a bit too loudly, instantly covering her mouth. Stanley coughed and glanced away as Beth flushed bright red realizing they’d likely heard her.

“We gonnaaah- going to play or what?” Rick called out in response.

From the sidelines Morty sat in the shade with a small battery powered toy fan, glancing nervously between the two teams as the game started up again.

“H-hey Sum-Summer, I-I a- I think mom and dad are going to lose.” Morty said with a small frown.

“No duh, they’re gonna lose, Morty. They can’t even get along with each other for five minutes. At least Rick and Stan can cohesively work as a team.” Summer didn’t even bother to look up from the new smart phone she’d gotten as a gift from Rick when they’d arrived. It was some fancy model that wasn’t even available to the public yet, and Rick said he’d personally upgraded it so it could still get coverage outside the local star system. Morty thought that had sounded odd, but then again he’d been gifted a diamond encrusted gold handgun on arrival, so he was pretty certain their Grandparents were a bit on the eccentric side of being incredibly wealthy. At least it was more fun here than visiting their other grandparents place. There was a lot less cheek pinching involved too. If he was perfectly honest, even though he was fairly certain Rick and Stan were rich because they’d been involved in some very shady business in the past, Morty was starting to really like them. 

He cringed as Rick spiked the ball at Jerry again, this time pegging him right in the eye. Oh that would leave a mark.

“Yeeep, that’s gonna be a real shiner” Stan whistled as he leaned over the net to get a closer look at Jerry who was lying on the ground of the tennis court bemoaning his already swelling shut eye.  

Beth wasn’t sure who she was madder at. Jerry for not reacting fast enough? Or her father for clearly having no guilt over the intentional hit? Either way they were both being childish about this whole game.

“W-wweelp I guess Jerry’s out. We’ll have to j-ja-just call the game.” Rick shrugged with a smug smile as Morty ran over to help his father up.

“Not so fast, Gramps” Summer called out from the sidelines, finally setting her phone aside to pull her ponytail up through her visor as she put it on. Picking up a spare racket she stepped onto the court “Dad, why don’t you sit this round out? Let us girls teach these old men how to really play tennis.”

“B-big talk from aa lil girl there, Summer” Rick taunted as he tossed her a ball.

“When we’re done winning this match, you’re treating us to ice cream” Summer instructed with a smile as sweet as the dessert she was demanding upon victory.

“I think she might get that feisty attitude from you, Dear” Stan chuckled as Rick scoffed at the teenager’s demand.

After heading inside to grab a cold cloth for his dad’s eye, Morty came back out to find the mood of the tennis court had changed considerably. His mom and Summer were happily shouting as they scored and Morty couldn’t recall when he’d last seen his mother looking so cheerful. It was nice to see her smiling like that for once.  

“Ye-Yeah, yeah, celebrate your measly one p-point.” Rick scoffed, although his scowl melted a bit when he heard Beth laugh as she gave her daughter a high-five. It was the most relaxed she’d looked since she’d arrived and he couldn’t help but feel a slight tug at his heartstrings seeing her finally looking like she was enjoying herself.

“You’re just sour cause you know we’re about to turn this game around, Dad!” Beth called out in reply with a confident smile that nearly bowled Rick over with a tidal wave of emotion. Oh shit… _feelings_. Gross.

The definite lead Stan and Rick had held was slowly waning and if Morty didn’t know any better, he’d almost say that with each point scored, Rick was intentionally slacking off. Perhaps he was just getting tired? Stan seemed to have noticed and was trying to pick up the slack where his team mate was failing. He’d gotten in another two points, but it wasn’t long before the gap in the teams scores had closed, leaving it tied for the match point. Then it was Beth’s turn to serve, and the game was over.

“What was that about? You threw the match.” Stan muttered quietly under his breath as he glanced at Rick questioningly. His husband was busy watching as his daughter laughed and hugged her own daughter in celebration of the win. Rick had the biggest dopey grin on his face.

“Hm?” Rick hummed dreamily as turned to Stan.

“Never mind” Shaking his head as his frown mellowed with a deep chuckle, Stan decided to let it slide. They’d win next time. Stan sighed, just happy to see Rick looking so pleased.

“Weelp, l-looks like it’s time to go get ice-ice cream for the winners!” Rick proclaimed as he tossed his racket aside and hopped over the net to go join the girls in their celebrating.

“Oh! Ice cream sounds like a great idea!” Jerry pitched in from the sidelines.

“Buy your own d-damn ice cream, Jerry. You didn’t beat me. D-dessert is for the winning ladies only!” Rick bit back without missing a beat.

Jerry sighed heavily. It looked like his attempt to get on Rick’s better side with some friendly competitive sport hadn’t exactly worked in his favour. At least Beth looked happy as her dad hugged her.  He’d take his wins were he could get them for now.

 

[ ](http://stanchez-sloppy-seconds.tumblr.com/search/miami)


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